NY cop pleads not guilty to cannibal plot

A New York police officer has pleaded not guilty to plotting to kidnap, cook and eat up to 100 women.

"Not guilty,, Gilberto Valle told a federal judge in Manhattan when asked how he pleaded to one count of kidnapping and one of illegally accessing a restricted computer database.

Valle, 28, is accused of plotting with an unnamed co-conspirator to use chloroform to knock out women, then bring them back to his home where he was allegedly planning to cook them in an oven, on a spit, or roasting them in a cage.

The serving police officer allegedly exchanged detailed emails about the plan with the co-conspirator and accessed a police database to collect information on his victims.

A search of his computer allegedly revealed files kept on at least 100 women, each with a name and photograph and often personal details such as address and descriptions. No women came to harm in what Valle's lawyer says was merely an online fantasy.

Valle, wearing a blue jail smock to his hearing, spoke clearly, but did not show any emotion.

On Tuesday, his lawyer, Julia Gatto, was to argue for release on bail. However, Judge Paul Gardephe pointed out that this had already been rejected by two other judges and "you will have a hard row to hoe".